NorthShore Classical Academy Finds New Home in Saukville: A Historic Transition for Ozaukee County’s First Private High School

NorthShore Classical Academy Finds New Home in Saukville

SAUKVILLE — A new chapter is unfolding for NorthShore Classical Academy (NCA), a nonprofit private school originally slated to open in Mequon. The school has now secured a location in Saukville, approximately 20 minutes north, in a historic building that once served as a Christian grade school for over 150 years.

The Saukville Village Plan Commission has granted approval for NCA to transform the former school into a campus for grades nine through twelve. Cheryle Rebholz, the founder and president of the board, expressed her excitement about the move, citing zoning, affordability, and growth in northern Ozaukee County as key factors in the decision.

“I am so thrilled to be at this point in the process because I’ve been at this going on four years!” Rebholz said. “I have a great board, wonderful supporters and donors, and a community at large who have stayed the course and are very committed to making this happen. The Saukville Village has been very warm and welcoming.”

The historic building boasts 11 classrooms, a full-size gymnasium with three basketball courts, expansive sports fields, a large cafeteria, and a commercial kitchen. “The space is nearly perfect for what we’re building,” Rebholz added.

NCA will implement the Hillsdale Curriculum, a content-rich educational framework developed by Hillsdale College in Michigan. This curriculum emphasizes core disciplines such as math, science, literature, and history, while also incorporating music, art, physical education, and foreign languages. Notably, NCA will be the first private high school in Ozaukee County and only the second in Wisconsin to adopt this curriculum.

Rebholz, a former member of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board, initially proposed a charter school after witnessing declining test scores among students. Her efforts to oust four board members in a recall election were unsuccessful, leading her to pursue the establishment of NCA.

In 2023, the school raised over $450,000 in local donations and partnered with the William S. Knight Foundation for a $200,000 matching grant, bringing its fundraising total to just shy of $1 million.

In addition to a classical education rooted in Western civilization and the liberal arts, NCA will offer a unique adjunct curriculum called “World of Work,” exposing students to over 40 different job opportunities and career paths in collaboration with local businesses.

Enrollment for the inaugural ninth-grade class of 2026 opens this fall. For more information, visit www.ncawi.org.

As NorthShore Classical Academy prepares to welcome its first students, the community looks forward to the enriching educational opportunities this new institution will bring to Saukville and beyond.